Burn Baby Burn!

[Pillow]

Okay lets not let our much loved busses go up in flames.

Please Please Please! Replace your fuel lines regularly.

Inspect clamps and filters at every engine service. Usually at 3,000 miles if you are not running a full flow oil system.

One item that is commonly overlooked is the front (front is front) breast plate tin where the metal fuel line runs through. Watch that the tinware is not slowly cutting a hole in the metal fuel line. Personally I made a separate bulkhead fitting out of Aeroquip AN fittings so that I never have to worry about it again.

Please keep the busses safe!

[Towel Rail]

Electrical entrance fitting on my cars:



Heck, I'll install one for free (time permitting) for anyone finding themselves in the Cedar Rapids, IA area. Our cars are not worth losing over that cheesy grommet!!

- Scott

[Pillow]

Great idea Scott!

Just for clarification are you using the 3/8" or 1/2" wire clamp?

Ditto what Scott said, if anyone is around northern VA I will be more than happy to provide the materials and service... You bring the beers

[Towel Rail]

1/2" -- I never seem to be able to find 3/8".

I've heard good things about lamp fittings, too. Those might not take as much work.

[wildthings]

This is the system I have on my 74 with carbs. I run a steel line all the way from the tank to just before the pump and filter as seen. If I get an engine fire, once the rubber lines burn through the fuel should no longer gravity flow into the engine bay. This is the real killer with buses as on a stock system there is no way to stop the fuel from continuing to feed the fire.



It is also very easy to change the filter and or pump with the fuel line set up this way.

[wildthings]

One idea to use to stop fuel from gravity feeding a fire is to install a spring loaded check valve in the line(s) between the tank and the engine. This will prevent gravity flow from feeding the fire. Here is a link to for check valves that can just be inserted into the existing lines at the tank. You would want to buy one that is set at about 1 1/2 pounds.

http://www.smartproducts.com/check_valves.php

[bugman742002]

that would work great on my bug i was thinking of running a fuel tank selecter valve and plugging off one side. i am also thinking of building a halon fire suppression system in the engine bay.

[vw-in-neptune]

[Oil Phil-M]

One idea to use to stop fuel from gravity feeding a fire is to install a spring loaded check valve in the line(s) between the tank and the engine. This will prevent gravity flow from feeding the fire. Here is a link to for check valves that can just be inserted into the existing lines at the tank. You would want to buy one that is set at about 1 1/2 pounds.

http://www.smartproducts.com/check_valves.php

I'm getting ready to do some work on my fuel system and would like to know more about the application of these check valves.

I'm using an electic pump now under the tank so would I install the check valve after the pump or does the sucking action of the pump somehow overcome the check valve? To compound matters I also run a gas heater off of the main line into the engine bay connecting to its own filter then pump.

[i_am_cool_fred]

one recommendation and the problem i had with mine when it caught on fire is to check the fitting on the carbeurator...my 34pict carb had lost it's fitting in mid flight causing me to spray fuel all over the engine compartment.

4 months later i'm back on the road with soot and bubbling paint

[Alp]

I am not sure if this is useful but my 74 BMW 2002 comes with a plastic fuel line that when it melts in a fire it seals itself to stop fuel flow. It is available at any BMW dealer (may be also aftermarket). Alp

[Piledriver]

Also, DON'T ever use "carb use fuel hose"... It's for carb use ONLY, and a lot of it can break down and start cracking in ~ 6 months.

The EFI hose is made from a much better rubber (EPDM) and can last for ages. We're talking only a few dollars price difference on most installations. EFI hose and CLAMPS work great on carbs too... And the clamps dont cost a penny more.

[Piledriver]

On the Vanagon, there is a rubber section of high pressure fuel line that goes straight back over the bell housing, enroute to the FPR.

Mine was dry rotted, and would spray fuel when flexed... Looked fine otherwise

[gabrick]

I just replaced the whole gas tank due to rust holes. I felt like such an idiot after looking all around in the gas tank and sticking my arm all in there looking for the fuel filter. I didn't notice it sitting right there. After I got the new tank on and the filter replaced, I primed the carb (too much). I cranked the engine and the next thing I know the carb bursts into flames. That was not a lot of fun, luckily I had the hose ready and there was no damage.

[fusername]

there aren't many vanagon owners in here, but for the one poor soul stuck behind the wheel of one of those, i ahve a piece of advice I can not stress strongly enough. on the passenger side firewall the fuel line (return?) goes through the bulkhead with a plastic bulkhead fitting. this piece is brittle and ready to crack when you loook at it wrong or go over a big bump and set everythign on fire

THIS PART MUST BE REPLACED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

I have helped a handfll of friends do engine swaps and this part is often still there, with epoxy on it, or yellow and brittle, and before we start I tell em to go hunt down some steel line to replac this part with. you slip the line into rubber line that used to cnnect to the bulkehad fitting. now slit some tuibing and slide it over the fuel line as a grommet. a zip tie on either sied of the bulkhead will hold it in place, and you are good for another 30 years. I warn people by email, at car shows, and they nod and say ok, but i would say half of them conacted me later to let me konw "thanks for the heads up, but when i was removing the engine the darn thing snapped in my hands/when i got close to it/when i angered it anyways, thank god i wasn't on the raod at the time!"
rumor has it there is a fancy billet or repalcemetn part out there, but I don't own a vanagon and am not sure if it is true. If yo uwant to get fancy, the part you want is called a bulkhead fitting and can be bought at any nice hardware store, or online at places like grainger or mcmastercarr. speed shops will have em as well, but probably for twice the price.